"Attacks on sacred places are a recipe for destruction"
Religious leaders from Christianity and Islam on Tuesday raised concerns that continued attacks on holy places of worship in Nigeria could set the tone for destruction.
Those who made the submission were the outgoing Chairman of the Christian Council of Nigeria, Bishop Benebo Fubara-Manuel and the former Chief Imam of the National Assembly Legislative Precinct Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid.
Figures collated from media reports of targeted attacks on churches and mosques in 2022 in Nigeria indicate that 139 clerics were killed while at least 394 Christians and Muslims were kidnapped .
Fubara-Manuel and Khalid spoke their minds at a day of high-level engagement with young religious leaders initiated by KAICIID Fellow, Rev. Dr. Uzoaku Williams, with support from the Center for International Dialogue, KAICIID, in Abuja on the theme "The Protection of Holy Places and Sacred Places: The Role of Young Leaders".
Uzoaku Williams explained that the purpose of the high-level engagement was to raise awareness and build the capacity of young religious leaders on their role in protecting holy places, sacred sites, in the country, saying it is a major focus of the program.
While calling the attacks unfortunate, the clerics said they threatened freedom of religion, which is the foundation of moral development.
Fubara-Manuel regretted that young people are often the ones used in the desecration of holy places.
"They are sometimes chosen as political thugs or as misguided youths uninformed about the history of their religion or community and forced to engage in war or some destructive activity ", he said.
Sheikh Khalid said attacks on worship centers in the country were the work of the country's enemies, stressing that worship centers are a place of refuge and must be protected by the parties stakeholders.
He said: "Accordingly, there are always two groups of humans, the malefactors who encourage distraction and reject the idea of unity in the pursuit of the common good, and the men who are passionate about development, shared values, and the protection of rights, lives, and property. The former must be controlled and prevented by the latter.
"Our young people have the greatest and most effective role to play, given the importance of their needs in securing a better future and changing the negative narrative of intolerance, conflict religion, distrust and distraction from life and property, especially sacred places."
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Religious leaders from Christianity and Islam on Tuesday raised concerns that continued attacks on holy places of worship in Nigeria could set the tone for destruction.
Those who made the submission were the outgoing Chairman of the Christian Council of Nigeria, Bishop Benebo Fubara-Manuel and the former Chief Imam of the National Assembly Legislative Precinct Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid.
Figures collated from media reports of targeted attacks on churches and mosques in 2022 in Nigeria indicate that 139 clerics were killed while at least 394 Christians and Muslims were kidnapped .
Fubara-Manuel and Khalid spoke their minds at a day of high-level engagement with young religious leaders initiated by KAICIID Fellow, Rev. Dr. Uzoaku Williams, with support from the Center for International Dialogue, KAICIID, in Abuja on the theme "The Protection of Holy Places and Sacred Places: The Role of Young Leaders".
Uzoaku Williams explained that the purpose of the high-level engagement was to raise awareness and build the capacity of young religious leaders on their role in protecting holy places, sacred sites, in the country, saying it is a major focus of the program.
While calling the attacks unfortunate, the clerics said they threatened freedom of religion, which is the foundation of moral development.
Fubara-Manuel regretted that young people are often the ones used in the desecration of holy places.
"They are sometimes chosen as political thugs or as misguided youths uninformed about the history of their religion or community and forced to engage in war or some destructive activity ", he said.
Sheikh Khalid said attacks on worship centers in the country were the work of the country's enemies, stressing that worship centers are a place of refuge and must be protected by the parties stakeholders.
He said: "Accordingly, there are always two groups of humans, the malefactors who encourage distraction and reject the idea of unity in the pursuit of the common good, and the men who are passionate about development, shared values, and the protection of rights, lives, and property. The former must be controlled and prevented by the latter.
"Our young people have the greatest and most effective role to play, given the importance of their needs in securing a better future and changing the negative narrative of intolerance, conflict religion, distrust and distraction from life and property, especially sacred places."
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